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Denver Nuggets looks towards winning the Lakers Game

They embody the NBA's fusion of hip-hop and pick and roll, oozing of swagger, boasting of athleticism and as the unofficial titleholders of the team with the most body art.

These Denver Nuggets are star-studded and expensive, carrying one of the league's highest payrolls.

They scratched and clawed their way to the playoffs, finally curling their fingers around the Western Conference's eighth spot and earning a first-round matchup against the Lakers.

And for Denver, as with most playoff teams, there is praise and promise, scattered somewhere along with concern and compatibility.

TNT's Charles Barkley recently labeled Denver talented but also as "the most disappointing team in the league."

And the fallout from Carmelo Anthony's arrest this week on suspicion of drunk driving is yet to be ascertained.

"I think our team has to worry a little bit more about ourselves than most playoff teams," Nuggets Coach George Karl told reporters in Denver on Friday. "If we turn the light switch on and [keep] it on, we'll be fine. Sometimes it's a dimmer. I'm sure there's some sports psychologist out there who can figure it out."

It doesn't take one to figure out that something went right. It went right to the tune of 50 wins in Denver, the first time the Nuggets reached that mark since the 1987-88 season.

Largely because they can score.

The names alone of Anthony (25.7 points a game) and guard Allen Iverson (26.4 points) are enough to give an opposing coach insomnia.

They are major factors why the Nuggets won 10 regular-season games by 20 points or more.

The play of Denver's reserves -- outside threats J.R. Smith, who averaged 15.5 points in March and April, and Linas Kleiza -- will also be critical if the Nuggets are to win the series.

The Nuggets' problem is they like scoring so much, they let other teams do it at will too. Denver lost seven games by 20 points or more.

Their defense is largely centered on Marcus Camby, the league's reigning defensive player of the year, who patrols the paint and is assisted every once in a while by forward Kenyon Martin.

The team is rounded out by others who went through the regular season feigning as much interest in defense as a weekend hoopster playing at a local gym.

The Nuggets rise and fall with a risk-and-reward defense. Often Denver goes for steals and the chance at a fastbreak if it is there and often if it is not. "They probably have more talent than anyone in the NBA," Barkley said. "If they just tried to play defense, they could be scary."

Former Laker Michael Cooper, who coached the Nuggets for 14 games before Karl took over, said the Nuggets have an added dimension.

Playing in a high-altitude city, the Nuggets look to run their opponents until the other team's knees wobble. "And when they come to sea level, they try to turn it up even more," Cooper said.

But they also have the added baggage of Anthony's situation.

Compared to other stars in his draft class, including LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Anthony seems to have had the hardest time assimilating into the corporate components of the game.

Anthony apologized for his latest arrest, but he has been in several high-profile incidents since entering the NBA in 2003. He consented to a blood test in the DUI case, but the results won't be available for several days. His first court appearance is scheduled for May 14.

"Carmelo has had his off-the-court clashes in the past, but once you walk into that gym you leave everything behind you," Cooper said, before adding a small jab. "They take a bus to the gym, so it shouldn't affect him."

Instead, Cooper said, Anthony probably will be more affected by sharing the court with Iverson.

Both are scorers who thrive on one-on-one play. But because Iverson has the ball in his hands as a guard, he is able to more often create shots for himself.

"When I coached [Anthony], he was the go-to guy," Cooper said. "He's not that now. He's a second option. . . . If he's not the first option, he's a little more selfish and he's going to look to his shot and look to score. [Iverson] can come and take three or four shots and then [Anthony] is going to be looking for the next one even if it could be a bad shot."

Anthony was remorseful when he issued his apology, and at Friday's practice he appeared relaxed and focused in front of Denver reporters.

He is unflinching in his belief that the Nuggets can pull off an upset in his bid to get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in his career.

"We're confident," he said. "We're the underdog right now. I love being in this situation."